Easy Italian-Style Pasta Salad

I am not going to lie, but this easy Italian-style pasta salad by Simply Mamá Cooks might be the best salad that you can prepare at home. It is packed with different vegetables, fruits, herbs, cheese, meat, and dressing. I just discovered this recently on YouTube and tried it last weekend. My family couldn’t get over how delicious this recipe is. It was a total hit – nothing was left behind, even a single piece of vegetable. That’s how you know when the recipe is really good. I love that you can get different textures and flavors with each bite.

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It might have a lot of ingredients, but it is easy to make. All you need to do is slice all ingredients, add to a bowl, then toss with the Italian dressing. How easy is that? If you are not a fan of the store-bought dressing, you can make your own homemade dressing. Here are some ideas: Top 5 Most Popular Salad Dressing Recipes. And if you don’t like salami, you can try chorizo, prosciutto, or ham. Serve this pasta salad for dinner, parties, or gatherings.

Best Italian-Style Pasta Salad

• 12 oz rotini pasta
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups of Italian dressing
• 4 oz mini pepperoni
• 3 oz salami (chopped)
• 8 oz mozzarella pearls
• 1 cucumber (cubed)
• 6 oz to 8 oz grape tomatoes (halves)
• 1/4 medium red onion (diced)
• red bell pepper (cut into thin strips)
• 3 oz black olives
• 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup of fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon of dry Italian herb blend
• 1 crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon of paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

How to Make Italian-Style Pasta Salad

Step 1:

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add salt then the pasta. Cook based on package instructions. Strain then transfer to a baking sheet and let it cool.

Step 2:

Transfer the cooked pasta to a large bowl, then add the fresh ingredients.

Step 3:

Add the salami, pepperoni, and mozzarella pearls. Season with Italian herb, paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Drizzle the Italian dressing on top. Toss everything together to combine.

Step 4:

Sprinkle grated parmesan and freshly chopped parsley. Toss everything again.

Step 5:

Serve with toasted garlic bread. Enjoy!

Easy Italian-Style Pasta Salad